Forum Theatre, Malvern – 29th June 2024
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
The always fabulous Armonico Consort brings Henry Purcell to Malvern Theatres with an intriguing and enticing performance of The Fairy Queen. Director Christopher Monks gave us a really helpful pre-performance introduction, giving valuable insight into this semi-opera and why it was being presented tonight (as originally envisaged) as interspersed episodes during a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The chamber orchestra – a string quartet, harpsichord, 2 trumpets, timpani and choir – may have been small but it was perfectly formed. Small enough to clearly hear the harpsichord (played by the inimitable Mr Monks) but large enough to provide all the myriad colours demanded of it. The instruments appeared to be period ones and I’m imagining that we were also hearing gut strings and original bows. They certainly had a lovely mellow sound, eminently suited to this most intimate of musics.
I say “I’m imagining” because, unfortunately, the programmes had sold out early. This was a real shame as I’m unable to name individual elements as I normally would – this includes aria titles…
…an early one of note being the duet with William Towers and Robert Davies (I think) providing the first hilarity of the evening. Will, we are told, very much took to the dress (and blonde wig) with little encouragement needed and gave us a spirited performance in (ahem) manfully resisting the gentleman’s charms. As some wag in the audience noted, this could be a candidate for the worst first date ever! Even so, it made for a most mirthful spectacle.
I loved the song in which the dreamy, off-kilter state was conjured by the harpsichord and slapstick glissandi by cellist Hetti Price. The comical musical interludes continued with the violinists (Kelly McCusker and Edmund Taylor) thoroughly enjoying themselves as fairies, emerging from behind the backdrop to indulge in a musical pas de deux. The Armonico Consort always makes full use of the entire auditorium and, in this context, the aforementioned Mr Davies’s drunken segment also deserves special mention – with some amazing physicality as he stumbled down the stairs between the audience; I’m not sure how he avoided injury! The ensuing song was another highlight of the evening with, as always, all soloists being absolutely top notch.
We were also graced with the commanding presence of Oz Clarke (yes; wine expert, broadcaster and actor extraordinaire) bringing his rich, rounded tones and a full bodied thespianic fruity afterglow to the stage as the narrator. In truth, I was amazed at how accomplished the acting of every performer was – I had seen them a number of times and marvelled that they could produce such exemplary dramatic (re dialogue delivery – and Shakespeare to boot!) stagecraft. Genuinely impressive.
I wasn’t sure where Purcell ended and Shakespeare began, such was the invention in staging on display. Ultimately it didn’t matter as the combination of the two works enhanced both, with the Consort once more showing enormous skill and love for the music. They looked like they were having a ball and I know we in the audience were; this was the best I’ve ever seen them – and I mean every one of them. A joy from start to finish, I cannot wait for their next visit. Bravissimo to all concerned!